Dr. Michael Eisenberg Elected Corresponding Member of the German Institute of Archaeology

Dr. Michael Eisenberg, from the Zinman Institute of Archaeology and the Department of Archaeology, has been elected to be a corresponding member of the German Institute of Archaeology in Berlin (Deutsches Archäologisches Institut, DAI), which serves as the umbrella organization for German archaeological research throughout the world. “The news caught me completely by surprise. Selection by the board of one of the most prestigious organizations in the field of archaeological research certainly signifies international recognition of excellence. It encourages expanded cooperation with affiliated institutions, and opens the door to significant funding facilitated by the DAI. These pursuits should be our next targets,” said Dr. Eisenberg.

Dr. Eisenberg is the head of an international excavation of the ancient city of Hippos-Sussita, located in the SussitaNational Park, east of the Sea of ​​Galilee. In recent years, Dr. Eisenberg has taken an active role in the many archeological discoveries made in this region, including the only known example of a bronze mask representing the Hellenistic god Pan (which has been ranked internationally as one of the ten most unique archaeological discoveries of 2015); the skeleton of a woman with a gold pendant in the form of a dove; an image of the resident of Roman Hippos carved on a tombstone; and unique building complexes from the Roman period. “Currently, we at the Institute of Archaeology are collaborating with the German Institute of Archaeology, including a new excavation at Tel Tsaf in the Jordan Valley under the direction of Dr. Daniel Rosenberg from our institute. Naturally, in light of the honor we have just received, our cooperation will now be strengthened, opening up many new possibilities to us,” said Dr. Eisenberg. As an international body appended to the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the DAI is today one of the three largest archaeological research bodies in the world. The DAI oversees? Several branches operating around the world and coordinates extensive archaeological activity. The DAI also publishes a series of journals and other written works, and manages significant research funds.